1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process of crosslinking organic polymers. More specifically, this invention relates to a process of preparing hydrocarbon compounds which contain polyfunctional chlorosulfonic and chloronitroso groups and to the crosslinked polymers thereof.
2. Prior Art
Known crosslinking systems for polymers generally have such undesirable features as working effectively only at highly elevated temperatures requiring unsaturated polymers, or being adversely affected by air and moisture. The prior art is limited to teaching the preparation of chloronitrosylated polymers by incorporating the chloronitroso groups in the polymer itself. U.S. Pat. No. 3,723,404 teaches the preparation of chloronitrosylated polymers by reacting the polymer with nitrosyl chloride or chlorine and nitric oxide in the presence of a free radical catalyst and in the presence of a solvent. The resulting chloronitrosylated polymer may then be crosslinked by treatment with heat either in the presence or absence of any fillers. U.S. Pat. No. 3,763,134 teaches the preparation of chloronitrosylated polymers by reacting the polymer with nitrosyl chloride or chlorine and nitric oxide in a two-phase system employing fluorocarbons as the reaction medium.
The literature is also filled with references to polymers containing chlorosulfonate groups. Nowhere, however, does the prior art teach the beneficial effect of the combined chlorosulfonic and chloronitroso groups in the same polymeric structure.